Washing machine



WASHING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1939- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Do/v a 5mm- INVENTOR.

BY 265, 45 Mii M ATTbRNEYS.

June 30, 1942. D, Q SC 'TT z,2ss;111

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J2 DON Q SCOTT INVENTOR BY q m fik 72 ATTORNEYS.

Patented, June so, 1942 WASHING MACHINE Don 0. Scott, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to Bendix Home Appliances, Inc., South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application April 15, 1939, Serial No. 2.6.7.954

8 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning machines and more particularly to machines for washing material in a washing or cleaning solution.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a cleaning machine in which material is scrubbed between relatively movable parts. One important feature of the invention relates to the arrangement of these parts so as to contact the material uniformly over its entire surface by arranging one of the parts to be freely movable angularly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning machine in which the material is its lower end to make a ball and socket joint with the hub portion 38 ofa scrubber plate or disc'4ll.

- The pins 32 are elongated to extend into grooves scrubbed and in which the scrubbing action is periodically interrupted so that the material may readjust itself.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning machine in which cleaning solution is circulated through the material during scrubbing thereof.

Other'objects and advantages of the invention including novel arrangements of ,the parts and desirable subcombinations and structural features will be more clearly apparent from the following description of the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a central section through a washing machine;

Figure 2 is a plan view with parts broken away; and

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation.

The illustrated machine is particularly intended for domestic washing service although it will be apparent that it could be made of such a size as to be satisfactory for commercial washing or could be used for dry cleaning or the like.

As shown, the machine includes a generally vertical open top tub l0 supported on legs 12 and adapted to hold a mixture of soap and water or other desired cleaning solution. Opening centrally through the bottom of the tub there is a tubular bearing sleeve 14 sealed to the tub bottom and braced by a conical support l6. A pair of bearings 18 in the sleeve 16 rotatably support a tubular hub 20 which carries within the tub a container 22 for material to be cleaned.

' The container 22 has cylindrical side walls and a generally V-shaped bottom formed with radial pressed-up ribs or flanges 24. Communication between the container and tub is provided by a series of openings 26 in the container bottom.

A tubular shaft 28 is journaled in the hub 20 andis formed at its upper end with axial grooves 01' splines 30 to receive pins 32 on a hub member 34. The hub member 34 is of elongated tubular construction and has a spherical portion 36 at 42 in the'hub portion 38 so that the disc will turn with the hub but may adjust itself freely angularly about the ball' and socket joint. The disc 40 is preferably formed on its lower surface with a series of radial ribs 44 to increase the scrubbing action;

According to one feature of the invention the scrubber plate is raised periodically from the material during a washing operation and for this purpose a rod 46 is slidablyxmounted in the shaft 28 and carries at its upper end a pair of pivoted pawls 48 engageable with annularratchet grooves 50 on the inner surface of the hub 34." The rod 46 is of such a length that when it is in its lowermost position the pawls 48 engage the upper end of the shaft 28 and are moved thereby to inoperative position. However, when the rod is raised the pawls engage the grooves 50 and raise the hub 34 and scrubber plate 40.

In order to drive the machine, a motor 52 is mounted below the tub l0 and drives a worm 54 which in turn drives a reduction gear unit 56. The unit 56 drives a crank which may, if desired, be connected to turn a shaft 60 for driving the usual wringer, not shown. A pair of connecting rods 62 are joumaled at one end on the crank 58 and are pivoted at their other ends to oppositely extending crank arms 64 and 66 which are secured respectively on the lower ends of the hub 20 and the shaft 28. Thus as the motor turns the container 22 and the scrubber plate will be oscillated in opposite directions relative to each other.

The rod 46 is reciprocated by a cam disc 68 secured to a. vertical shaft 10 which is rotatably supported below the tub 10 in a bracket 12. The

edge surface of the disc 68 underliesthe rod 46 and is formed with a single riser projection 14 shown as having a gradual rise terminating in an abrupt shoulder. 46 will remain stationary during most of a revolution and will be raised and then dropped abruptly as it passes over the projection 14.

The shaft 10 is arranged to make one revolution for each five or six complete oscillations of the container and scrubber plate. For this purpose the shaft carries an arm 16 having a forked or slotted end receiving an elongated pin 18 on the crank arm 66. The arm 16 carries a spring pressed pawl engageable with a series of ratchet teeth 82 on the shaft 10. As shown there are six ratchet teeth so the disc 68 will make As the disc is rotated the rod one revolution for each six complete oscillations of the container and scrubber plate. The disc is held from reverse rotation by friction but a one way brake could be provided for this purpose if desired.

The ratchet teeth 82 and the projection 14 may be so arranged that the rod 46 will be elevated during one or more oscillations but I prefer to complete a reciprocation of the rod during an oscillatory movement in one direction. Thus the projection 14 is confined to not more than 60 of the periphery of the disc 68 and is so arranged as to complete its movement beneath 'the rod 46 during a single oscillation in one direction.

According to another feature of the invention washing solution is circulated through the material during scrubbing. This is effected, as shown,

by providinga pump 84 driven by the motor 52 and having its inlet connected by a conduit 86 to the bottom of the tub In. The pump outlet is connected by a conduit 88 to a pipe 90 extending vertically between the tub and container 22 and terminating adjacent the top of the container. A nozzle member 82 having a laterally extending. discharge spout 94 is telescoped on the pipe 90 and may be turned so as to project the discharge into the container or over the side of the tub.

To use the machine as described, the scrubber plate may be removed and a batch of clothes or other material to be washed may be placed in the container. The scrubber plate is then replaced and slides down on top of the clothes,

' this action being permitted due to tilting of the pawls 48 by engagement with the upper end of the shaft 28. It will be understood that a solution of water and soap or other cleaning liquid may be placed in the tub before the clothes are inserted or after the clothes are inserted and is preferably at a level just sufiicient to cover the clothes.

The motor52 is then started and oscillates the container and scrubber plate to scrub the clothes thoroughly between them. The motor drives the cam disc 68 through the lever and ratchet mechanism 16-82 so that the rod 46 and the scrubber plate will periodically be raised. With the ratchet as shown, the scrubber plate will be raised from the clothes every sixth oscillation to permit the clothes to readjust themselves and will then be returned to scrubbing contact with the clothes.

During this scrubbing operation cleaning solution will be withdrawn from the bottom of the tub by the pump 84 and will be forced through the nozzle 94 into the. top of the container. The constant circulation of solution through the clothes assists in the cleaning action. After the clothes have been washed the nozzle 94 may be raised and turned over the side of the tub to with its axis substantially vertical, a substantially container and the scrubber plate relative to one another and for periodically raising and releasing the scrubber plate, said mechanism including connections providing a plurality of oscillations of the container and the scrubber plate for eachraising and lowering of the scrubber plate, and substantially radial ribs formed in the bottom of the container and on the lower surface of the scrubber plate to increase the cleaning action on the material.

2. A cleaning machine comprising a container to, receive material to be cleaned and mounted with its axis substantially vertical, a post extending vertically through the container, a substantially horizontal scrubber plate mounted on said post and overlying the material, a movable connection enabling the scrubber plate to move vertically and to tilt upon its vertical axis and to rest on the material regardless of the angle of the surface thereof, interconnected mechanism for oscillating the container and the scrubber plate relative to each other and for periodically raising and lowering the scrubber plate from and back upon the material, such mechanism including a device for oscillating the container and the scrubber plate a plurality of times for each raising and lowering of the scrubber plate.

3. A cleaning machine comprising a container to receive material to be cleaned and mounted with its axis substantially vertical, an oscillatable post extending vertically through the container, a substantially horizontal scrubber plate in the container overlying the material therein, means forming a universal connection between the scrubber plate and the post whereby the scrubber plate may follow the surface of the material, means for oscillating the post and container relative to each other, a rod slidably extending through the post and engaging the scrubber plate, and mechanism interconnected with the oscillating means for periodically reciprocating the rod once after each two or more oscillations of the post and container to raise and lower the scrubber plate from and again upon the material.

4. A cleaning machine comprising a container to receive material to be cleaned and mounted with its axis substantially vertical, a tubular shaft extending vertically through said container, an elongated hub member slidably keyed to the shaft and having its interior surface formed with a series ofratchet teeth, a scrubber disc carried by said hub member and overlying the material in the container, a rod extending through said shaft, a pawl pivoted on the upper end of the rod and engageable with said ratchet teeth, and means for periodically reciprocating the rod vertically, said pawl engaging the upper end of the tubular shaft and being moved out of engagement with the ratchet teeth when the rod is in its lowermost position.

5. A cleaning machine comprising a. container to receive material to be cleaned and mounted with its axis substantially vertical, a scrubber plate oscillatably mounted in the container overlying the material, means for oscillating the scrubber plate and container relative to .each other, a rod extending into the container, and operatively connected to the scrubber plate, a disc cam having a projection on its face engageable with said rod to reciprocate it for periodically raising the scrubber plate from the material, and a reduction gear driven at reduced speed by said first-named means for driving; saidv cam at a lower speed than the speed at which said oscillations occur. I

6. A cleaning machine comprising a container to receive material to be cleaned and mounted with its axis substantially vertical, a tubular shaft extending vertically through the container, a scrubber plate carried by said shaft overlying material in the container, oppositely extending cranks secured to the container and the shaft, means for oscillating said cranks to oscillate the container and scrubber plate relative to each other, a rod extending through said shaft and I engageable with the scrubber plate, a completely I revolvable cam for periodically reciprocating the rod vertically once for each complete revolution of the cam, and means operated by one of said cranks for turning the cam through only a partial revolution upon each complete oscillation of the cranks.

7. A cleaning machine comprising a container to receive material to be cleaned and mounted with its' axis substantially vertical, a tubular shaft extending vertically through the container, a scrubber plate carried by said'shaft overlying material in the container, oppositely extending cranks secured to the container and the shaft, means for oscillating said cranks to oscillate the container and scrubber plate relative to each other, a rod extending through said shaft and engageable with the scrubber plate, a cam for periodically reciprocating the rod vertically, an osciilatable arm .operatively connected to one of said cranks, and one-way drive means connecting said arm to the cam to turn the cam through a partial revolution on each oscillation of the arm.

8. A cleaning machine comprising a containe to receive material to be cleaned and mounted with itsaxis substantially vertical, a tubular shaft extending vertically through thecontainer, a scrubber plate carried by said shaft overlying material in the container, oppositelyextending cranks secured to the container and the shaft,

means for oscillating said cranks to oscillate the,

container and scrubber plate relative to each other, a rod extending through said shaft and engageable with the scrubber plate, a disc cam having a single riser projection engageable with the rod to reciprocate it' vertically upon each revolution of the cam to raise the scrubber plate from the material, and ratchet means operated by one of said cranks to turn the cam a partial revolution upon each oscillation of the cranks, said ratchet means having a plurality of teeth so spaced asto cause a-complete reciprocation of the rod vertically during a single oscillation of the cranks.

' DON O. SCO'I'I. 

